CREATE

2018 already! It's hard to believe that I started this blog for myself two years ago. I've been pretty distant for the last year, but I blame that on Stelly girl. She was the best distraction life could have thrown at me.

I'd like to make more time for blogging, especially since this year I want to focus more on creating. I've had a lot of ideas in my head of what I'd like to do more of and how I should fill my time. I'm tired of being a task master to myself. Goal lists and productivity are always going to be a big part of me and my personality, but I'm not sure how much joy that brings my life. I spend a lot of time trying to rush through the tasks I need to accomplish so I can do something I enjoy. Often times, I spend so much time "tasking" that I never really get to the things that I enjoy that I would consider life giving activities. All that being said, I've decided that my word for this year is going to be CREATE. I like that it is general and leaves it open for me to do a lot of creating in different categories. This word just popped in my head while I was driving. Everyone was starting to announce their words for the year, and I couldn't think of one. I was determined not to pressure myself into one, because I just wanted to see if one came to my mind and settled in. And like that....the word Create popped in my head. I've had a lot of thoughts on this going through my head recently. I've been obsessed with the podcast, How I Built This, that is on NPR. I am SO INTRIGUED by the stories of people building companies and products from the ground up. It inspires me every time I listen to create and keep learning. I can't get enough. I also started reading A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman, my author spirit animal. ALL THE THOUGHTS ABOUT ALL THE ROLES AND CREATING AND ART. I'm not even sure I'm ready to try and put what I'm learning into words. I just know that the worlds of podcasts and books are colliding and exploding in my head.

All that being said 

The areas I want to spend more time are:
*Baking- I've found that I enjoy baking way more than I used to. In a way, I think it's a really good way to practice mindfulness. Shutting off everything else going on in my head and focusing on a recipe. I'd love to get particularly better in the cookie and cookie decorating department.
*Cooking-A lot of times I do fast and easy recipes out of survival. I really want to try my hand at some more complicated or different recipes this year.
*Writing- I haven't been blogging much at all. Mainly because the only time I had was at night and I'm usually wiped in the evenings. Cora and Stella have been napping at the same time, which has given me an open time slot to start writing more. I feel like I always have ideas floating around in my head and I think, I want to write that down. I'm going to start writing it down more.
*House Projects- This will probably be the category I do the least with, because I don't want to spend a lot of money. I really want to challenge myself to use what I have in new ways though and finish a few projects that are almost done and inexpensive.

If something else comes to me, I'll add that to my list of creating. Like I said, I don't want to put myself in a box. I just want to spend more time creating and doing what I enjoy...

EVEN IF IT TAKES ALL OF NAP TIME AND I GET NOTHING ELSE DONE.

I think I've spent a lot of my stay at home mom life guilting myself into performing as many tasks as possible to make it "worth" me staying at home. After 4 years of this, I'm realizing just how wrong this thinking has been. I don't want to be wasteful or lazy or not thankful for the time that I've had home, but I also don't think that I need to prove through tasks that me staying at home is worth it. My husband and my kids are the most important work I have...not the millions of things I'm pressuring myself to do. I'm finding that when I give myself the opportunity to do something that I love or time to create, I can still be productive, it may just take me a little longer.I also think it helps me to not feel so short tempered or flying off the handle because I've had no break to rest my mind all day. I'm a better mom and wife.

Finally, and most importantly, I'd like to try and get through the Bible in the year. I've had good months of this and bad months too. I'm resolved not to be too legalistic with myself, but I'd like to remain as faithful as possible. I bought myself Praying through the Bible for your Kids  by Nancy Guthrie and she uses the one year Bible plan alongside of that. I'm loving it. It's new and fresh to me and really motivating me to stick with my reading plan. Her blurbs and prayers that she does alongside the Bible reading are heartfelt and deep. I've decided that reading that always comes first during nap time. By making it a priority, I've been way more faithful to it than other times I've tried.

Lots of thoughts on this new year and I'm so excited to see what creations this year brings.